The present invention relates to a patch device comprising a backing layer which is a barrier to at least fragrance, a reservoir layer, which is attached to the backing layer and serves for holding a volume of one or more fragrances, and a cover layer for covering the reservoir layer when filled with fragrances.
The present invention also relates to a method of using the patch device.
Within the scope of the present invention the term perfume is to be understood as one or more fragrant oils, in particular fragrant ethereal oils, used to give parts of the human body or other objects a long-lasting and pleasant smell. The perfume may contain aroma compounds, fixatives and alcohols for improving emission capabilities.
An allergic contact reaction to perfume is elicited by a hypersensitivity reaction, typically occurring in sensitised individuals within only a few hours after the perfume has been used. The typical allergic perfume contact reactions are characteristically located on the face, hands and arms, which is the skin areas normally subjected to direct application of perfume. The patient may develop symptoms such as disfiguring intense swelling, redness of the affected area, and unpleasant dryness and itching.
The link between eye and airway symptoms triggered by fragrance products, allergic contact sensitisation to topical fragrance products, and hand eczema has also been investigated (Eberling J., Linneberg A., Mosbech H. et al, British Journal of Dermatology, 2005; 51(6): 1197-1203. This study established that patients with contact allergy to fragrance products are most likely to develop eye and respiratory symptoms in response to volatile fragrance products, especially patients with underlying atopic disorders such as atopic dermatitis and asthma/reactive airway diseases. It is believed that both allergic reactions, i.e. both contact and airway reactions, have overlapping immunologic pathways and that patients suffering from any one of the allergic reactions should take particular prophylactic attention to avoid both direct application and inhalation of fragrances.
More than 5000 different fragrances are in use today, and the number of fragrances used in a single perfume can be many. Moreover, the recipe of a perfume product is often kept a trade secret making it very difficult for a person to ascertain which fragrance or constituent of the perfume he/she is allergic to. Instead the person must test the perfume with the risk of eliciting an allergic reaction or simply refrain from using perfume or perfume containing products at all.
However most perfume allergy sufferers would prefer to have the option to use perfume at least for a short period without the risk of eliciting an allergic reaction or provoking break out of new associated allergic diseases.
British patent application no. GB 2 375 482 A relates to a single-layered disposable pad that can be pre-impregnated or be impregnated by the user with scents or perfumes. The material of the pad is vapour permeable but not liquid permeable, however the patent application does not provide any indication of how such a pad can be achieved. A pad consisting of a liquid impermeable material cannot be impregnated by the user at the time of use because the liquid perfume cannot be absorbed or penetrate through a material which not is permeable to liquid. The structure described in GB 2375482 is thus not realizable. The impregnated patch is held and encased in a holder, such as a pocket in the clothes or in a wrist band, and cannot be discarded without touching the pad or discarding the entire holder too.
From British patent application GB 2 209 532 A is known a fragrance-emitting article or perfume patch. This known patch includes a fragrance-emitting member being a polyurethane core incorporating a fragrance oil. A surface of the fragrance-emitting member is provided with a pressure sensitive adhesive for adhering the patch to a surface. The fragrance-emitting member may optionally be reinforced by a support layer to improve dimensional stability and strength. Pressure sensitive adhesives dissolve slowly upon contact with liquid. To prevent soluble residues of the pressure sensitive adhesive from sticking to the surface after removal an additional layer may be inserted between the adhesive layer and the polyurethan core to prevent migration of fragrance oil to the adhesive layer. Further, to prevent loss of fragrance during storage the patch is sealed inside an aluminium foil packaging, however during storage a considerable amount of volatile oil evaporates into the package and may be lost the very moment the aluminium foil is opened. A further disadvantage to perfume allergy sufferers is that during wear the fragrance-emitting member has an exposed, touchable wet fragrance emitting side.
International patent application WO 93/00115 discloses a device for controlled release of perfume. The device is prefabricated as a multilayered laminate unit containing an active compound integrated in a reservoir layer, such as hydroxypropyl cellulose gel. A backing barrier layer, which preferably is both liquid and vapour impermeable, is provided on one side of the reservoir layer, and a diffusion rate limiting layer, which allows vapour to pass through, is provided on the other side of the reservoir layer. An adhesive layer for adhering the device to the skin is provided on the surface of the impermeable membrane layer. A peeling layer, which is impermeable to the perfume, is placed topmost of the laminate for storage. In order to learn the smell of the fragrance or test the perfume the user needs to break the packaging. Furthermore, it is not possible for the user to use a perfume of her/his own choice.